By bnm Gulf bureau Russian forces have begun withdrawing from Syria, with two cargo vessels, the Sparta II and Sparta, departing from the port of Tartus on January 30, carrying significant military equipment.

Russia, a longtime supporter of Assad’s regime, provided military assistance to bolster Assad against rebel forces throughout Syria’s protracted civil war.

A Russian delegation in Syria reaffirmed Moscow’s support for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity Wednesday, following the fall

Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, was received by al-Sharaa on Friday, making his first visit since al-Assad’s overthrow.

DAMASCUS, Syria — A delegation of Russian officials arrived in Damascus on Tuesday for the first such visit to Syria since the fall of former President Bashar Assad. Assad, an ally of Moscow, took refuge in Russia after his ouster in December in a lightning rebel offensive.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister and a special envoy arrived in Damascus. Theirs was the first such visit since President Bashar al-Assad fled the country, according to Russian state news.

Syria’s new leaders said Wednesday they had discussed “transitional justice” with the first Russian official delegation to visit Damascus since the toppling of long-term Moscow ally Bashar al-Assad. The visit came with Russia keen to secure the fate of two military bases in Syria and after Russian President Vladimir Putin denied that Moscow had suffered